There are presently many various types of ink stamping devices available for particular applications in industry including relatively expensive and sophisticated printers and the like. In many assembly line manufacturing applications, various parts or subassemblies produced in high volume require various indicia or markings, such as part identification numbers, for example.
Of the many types of printing devices found in the prior art, there has been a lack of a highly durable, reliable, adaptable and yet reasonably low cost contact type ink stamping device which is capable of high volume production and clear, strong imprints. Printers of the contact type include those which must be returned to an ink reservoir after each printing to assure the stamping die carrying the indicia possess sufficient ink to make a clear mark on the workpiece.
Prior to the present invention, no automated contact ink printers have been available which meet the requirements of durable reliable marking at a cost which is practical for acceptance in many applications found in the market place.